The present invention relates to a new and improved construction of apparatus for processing of printed products, such as newspapers, periodicals and the like, particularly printed products arriving in an imbricated formation. The invention also concerns an improved mobile storage unit for use in such product processing apparatus.
Generally speaking, the processing apparatus of the present development is of the type comprising a number of mobile storage units, wherein each such mobile storage unit comprises a hollow substantially cylindrical winding core or mandrel rotatably mounted in a frame o frame member as well as a winding band spool or reel for a winding band or strap which can be connected with the winding core. This winding band spool or reel is likewise rotatably mounted in the frame or frame member. Furthermore, there is provided at least one stationary wind-up station at which there can be operatively coupled in each case one of the mobile storage units and which possesses infeed means for infeeding or delivering the printed products to the winding core or, as the case may be, the wound product package which is formed upon such winding core. Furthermore, the processing apparatus is provided with a drive arrangement or drive means for rotating the winding core or, as the case may be, the wound product package which is formed thereupon.
With heretofore known apparatuses of this type both the winding core as well as also the winding band spool or reel are fixedly arranged in the transportable frame or frame member. Significant in this regard are German Patent Publication No. 3,236,866 and the corresponding British Patent No. 2,107,681 and the cognate U.S. Pat. No. 4,587,790, granted May 17, 1986 and the European Published Patent Application No. 0,135,080, published Mar. 27, 1985 and the cognate U.S. Pat. No. 4,523,751, granted June 18, 1985. Each frame possesses coupling devices for coupling the winding core and the winding band spool with a drive unit which is arranged in the stationary wind-up station.
These heretofore known mobile storage units are thus complicated in construction and therefore relatively expensive. This means that as far as the printing plant or establishment or other user of such equipment is concerned there is required an appreciable capital investment inasmuch as a large number of such storage units are required. Furthermore, there also must be taken into consideration that in the event there is undertaken an intermediate storage of the wound product package the associated storage unit likewise must remain in the intermediate storage facility and therefore during this time is not available for further use.
In the aforementioned European Published Patent Application No. 0,135,080 and the cognate U.S. Pat. No. 4,523,751, granted June 18, 1985, there is disclosed a construction in which the winding core or, as the case may be, the wound product package which is being formed thereupon, is driven at its outer surface or circumference. This means that the storage unit need not be provided with a coupling arrangement for coupling the winding core with the stationary drive, but nonetheless there still exists with such prior art construction the previously enumerated drawbacks.
In European Published Patent Application No. 0,149,058 and the cognate U.S. Pat. No. 4,676,496, granted June 30, 1987, and entitled "METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING PRINTED PRODUCTS TO A CONTINUOUSLY OPERATING PROCESSING LINE", there are disclosed travelling or mobile frames which are loaded externally of an unwinding station with a full or completely wound product package which has been prepared for undergoing an unwinding operation. Thereafter, in each case a frame together with the wound product package is displaced into the unwinding station where there is accomplished coupling thereof with a drive arranged in the unwinding station. In the frame there is provided, apart from the mounting or support arrangement for a wound product package and a winding band spool, also an outfeed device for the printed products which have been unreeled or unwound from the wound product package. However, such arrangement also renders this design complicated. Moreover, these frames, by virtue of their construction, are not suitable for winding-up printed products into a wound product package.